JOIN USThe state legal metrology department on Wednesday raided 188 business premises across the state, including shops in malls across Bengaluru, and booked more than 46 cases for selling bottled water at an exorbitant price.
Shops in majority of the malls in Bengaluru were found selling bottled water at Rs 100 each, as against the maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 20.
Shops at Garuda, Orion, Gopalan and Meenakshi malls were among the premises raided in the city. Cases have been booked against the shop owners under the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977, Food and Civil Supplies Minister U T Khader told reporters here.
Own bottles
He said the government has decided to initiate steps to ensure that people are allowed to carry their own water bottles inside malls and multiplexes. Drinking water is the most essential commodity. But unfortunately, it has not been included under the Essential Commodities Act. The state government will soon request the Centre to bring bottled water under the purview of the act, the minister said.
The state food and civil supplies department had received a large number of complaints from the public about shops in big malls and restaurants charging exorbitant prices for bottled water. The department, therefore, directed the legal metrology department to conduct raids across the state, he added.
A fine of Rs 2,000 has been imposed on each of the violators. Criminal cases will be booked if the offence is repeated a second time, while there is provision for imprisonment for up to six months. “Charging an exorbitant price is an unfair trade practice. The department will keep a strict vigil henceforth. Stringent action will be taken against shop owners if they continue to indulge in such malpractices,” Khader said.
The legal metrology department had formed 47 teams, including eight in Bengaluru, for conducting the raids. In Bengaluru, the raids were conducted simultaneously at 15 premises, he added.
The minister said he had also held a meeting with the hotel owners’ association, and advised them against levying a service charge on their customers.
DH News Service